Social Media Influence on Fashion and Consumer Behaviour Among Young Women in Abuja

This study examines the influence of social media content on fashion choices and consumer behaviour among young women in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, North Central Nigeria. Social media platforms, particularly Instagram and TikTok, have transformed fashion communication by enabling direct brand-to-consumer messaging and peer influence networks that bypass traditional advertising intermediaries. Abuja's cosmopolitan young female population provides a relevant context for studying these dynamics in the Nigerian setting. This study uses a survey design, collecting data from 300 women between 18 and 35 years in Garki, Wuse, and Maitama districts through structured questionnaires. Variables assessed include social media fashion content exposure, influencer following behaviour, brand discovery through social media, impulse purchasing patterns, and the role of social comparison in fashion decisions. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis are applied. Findings reveal that 88 percent of respondents discover new fashion brands primarily through Instagram influencers and sponsored posts. Social comparison through curated influencer content is strongly associated with increased fashion expenditure, with respondents following more than 50 fashion accounts spending an average of 42 percent more on clothing than those following fewer. Local Nigerian fashion influencers command higher credibility and purchase intention than international influencers for respondents over 25. The study concludes that social media exerts a powerful and growing influence on fashion consumption among Abuja young women. It recommends ethical influencer marketing standards and financial literacy integration into digital consumer education.

Keywords: social media influence, fashion, consumer behaviour, young women, Abuja.